Monday, May 24, 2010

WSOP Player Spotlight: Jeff Shulman

Jeff Shulman made a great impression by finishing fifth in the WSOP Main Event in 2009, but this wasn't his first time at the big tables. He entered the main event in 2000, placing seventh and earning a pot of nearly $150,000. He turned over most of his chips to Chris Ferguson, who would later go on to win that tournament. He came back again in 2003 and had another money win, finishing in thirty-first place. When he successfully made it to the final table in 2009, he hired Phil Hellmuth (the poker brat) to help him improve his game.

Born in 1975, Jeff Shulman has had a long career with various notable milestones along the way. You certainly can't deny that he comes from a family that has a long history in the game of poker. His father, Barry Shluman, was a poker player with a long list of accomplishments who became the CEO of Card Player, a magazine for poker enthusiasts. Jeff Shulman grew up around the game and became a writer and editor for Card Player.

Beyond the WSOP, Shulman has won tournaments with UPC (Ultimate Poker Challenge), including the season finale of UPC where he made the final table. Shulman also made an appearance on Poker Superstars, where he made the final table. Unlike most other players in the WSOP main event, Shulman has stated some distaste for Harrah's, the casino that runs the WSOP. He says he believes that the event used to be run by people who had an interest in the game and cared about poker, and that it has since become nothing more than a spectacle.

As of May, 2010, Shulman has won over $3 million in tournaments, including just under $2 million from his participation in the 2009 WSOP Main Event.